One of the major disadvantages of tampons is the discomfort entailed in inserting them.
Although the development of Applicator made of a tube and of a plunger (known from EP 0 551 758) was a step forward in this area, there is nonetheless a great deal to be done to make this operation quick and painless.
One of the problems lies in the friction of the object such as a tampon after it has left the applicator, especially during menstruation when the mucous membranes are highly sensitive. A solution proposed i.a. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,499,447 and in GB 2 153 684 provides a short supple sleeve placed at the tip of the applicator so as to protect the distal end of the tampon at the moment of the intromission.
Numerous manufacturers have also attempted to develop solutions involving incorporating lubricants such as gels, either directly into the tampons (DE 3739163, GB 2 056 083) or into cavities or capsules incorporated into the applicators (U.S. Pat. No. 3,139,886; U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,504).
One of the disadvantages of the lubricants is that they may limit the absorption of the tampons. Furthermore, these lubricants, which give a greasy sensation to the touch, need to be released in situ, otherwise the applicator is unpleasant to handle.
Another approach consists in rounding the head of the applicator as much as possible. To this end, certain applicators have an ogee-shaped distal end, formed of petal cuts which splay outwards as the tampon passes (see EP 0 551 753). This solution, being more convenient, led to the abandonment of the supple sleeve cited above. One known problem is that these petals may trap the flesh when the applicator is withdrawn.
There has therefore been a search to develop Applicator which is easy to insert and which reduces the friction between the object such as a tampon and the walls of the orifice.